Towards an everyday utopia

The whole earth catalog and architectural practice in American counterculture communes, 1968-1971

Student report (2023)

Authors

X. Zhang Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

Rachel Lee History, Form & Aesthetics - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2023 Xinrui Zhang
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Published Date

20-04-2023

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

This thesis explores the impact of the Whole Earth Catalog on architecture practices in communes during the late 1960s and early 1970s, focusing on the relationship between people and the built environment. By analyzing the Catalog's contents, the real self-build works in communities, and the critiques it received, this study reveals the Catalog's rich heritage for sustainable architecture today, including passive design and the promotion of new energies. In addition, the anthropological approach of the Catalog, which emphasized the connection between architecture and people's daily life, is highlighted as a valuable perspective for architecture today. This study argues that the Catalog's approach provides a framework for seeing architecture as an ongoing process shaped by interactions with other realms, challenging the traditional relationship between designers, users, and architecture. By involving amateur builders and urging an insider perspective, the Catalog's approach could bridge the gap between designers and users and enable a more comprehensive architecture practice.